Water shield for automobile door latch



March 25, 1958 M. Fox ET AL v WATER SHIELD F OR AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Filed Jan. 16, 1956 I/VVE/V 7 0195 WATER SHIELD FOR AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Robert M. Fox, Detroit, and Russell A. Grout, Royal Oak,

Micl1., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 16, 1956, Serial No. 559,365

6 Claims. (Cl. 296-44) This invention relates to a water shield for a door latch, and more particularly to a water shield for a latch in an automobile door.

One feature of the invention is that it provides an improved door latch; another feature of the invention is that it provides a novel water shield for a door latch; a further feature of the invention is that it provides a cheap and simple means which is readily applicable to all types of automobile door latches for shielding the door latch from water entering between the inner and outer door panels through the opening for the door window; yet a further feature of the invention is that the shield encompasses the entire door latch to give effective shielding action; still a further feature of the invention is that the shield preferably is transparent so that the door latch can be inspected visually if necessary without removing the shield; yet another feature of the invention is that the shield provides an anti-theft device, making it much more difficult to pick the latch; and still another feature of the invention is that the shield comprises a transparent plastic bag encompassing the door latch, the lower end of said bag being open to permit water to drain therefrom and to provide ventilation for the latch. The screws latch project out of the bag through an opening in thewall thereof.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

' Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile having a door latch including the novel water shield means;

' Fig. 2 is a detail section showing how the lock of Fig. 1 is mounted on the door;

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the opening between the door panels through which the window projects;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lock shielding means; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the front door latch and its water shield removed from the door.

Modern automobile door latches are relatively complicated, comprising a plurality of links and levers which are pivotally or slidably mounted on a latch frame and which usually lie closely adjacent the latch frame. When the automobile is washed or when it rains hard, a large quantity of Water often enters between the inner and outer door panels through the opening for the door window. This water, in conventional automobile construction, has an unimpeded path of flow to the door latch and very often in the winter, after the car is washed, the-links and levers may freeze to their mountings or tothe latch frame, thus making it diificult or impossible to operate the latch. Furthermore, large quantities of 2,828,157 Patented Mar. 25, 1958 away the lubricant on the latch, causing corrosion and hard operation of the latch.

The shield also protects the latch from dirt and grime and guards it from sealer overspray on the assembly line. This invention provides a simple, novel water shield for the latch. While the shield might comprise an awning secured to or bent out of one of the door panels and overlying the latch, in the preferred form which is illustrated in the drawings, the shield comprises a transparent plastic bag which encompasses the latch, thereby shielding it from water which enters through the window opening.

The bag is open at its lower end so that any water which may enter through openings in the bag for the bolt housing, the securing screws or the connecting means for the actuating levers of the latch may drain away from the latch. The open bag permits proper ventilation to assure evaporation of accumulated moisture. Since the bag is transparent, the latch may be visually inspected whenever necessary without removing the shield.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Fig. l 'shows an automobile 6 having a front door 7 hingedly mounted at its front edge in'conventional manner, and a rear door 8 hingedly mounted at its front edge on a center body pillar 9 which terminates at the belt line of the car. The front door carries a latch mechanism designated generally at '10 and the rear door carries a generally similar latch mechanism which is not illustrated. The front door has a window 12 which is shown in Fig. l in its raised position and which may move to a lowered position through a window opening 14 at the upper edge of the inner and outer door panels 15 and 16, respectively, shownin Fig. 3. Any conventional manual or poweroperated window regulator means may be utilized to move the window, as is well understood in the art.

The door latch shown in the drawings is of the type described and claimed in the copending application of water running over the door latch will ultimately wash James D. Leslie, entitled Rotary Bolt Door Latch, filed September 13, 1955, as Serial No. 534,034. However, any known type of automobile door latches may be used in connection with this invention instead of the particular latch illustrated.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the latch is encased in afiexible bag 20 which preferably is of transparent plastic and which is open at its lower end. The front door latch and the flexible bag are shown removed from the automobile door in Fig. 5. Referring to this figure, the latch 10 has a right angular frame comprising a body portion 24 which, when the latch is mounted in the door, lies in a plane generally parallel to the jamb face of the door, and a flangeportion 26 which lies in a plane generally parallel to the inside panel of the door. The frame por tion 24 is secured to the jamb face 27 of the door by a plurality of screws 25 as shown in Fig. 2. I Latching means, including a bolt 28 and cam 30, are rotatably mounted on the frame body 24, the bolt and the cam being rigidly secured to a rotatable stub shaft 32. The outer end of this shaft is journaled in the outer wall 34a of bolt housing 34 which projects outwardly from the frame portion 24 of the latch. The arrangement of the bolt housing and the cooperation of the bolt 28 and housing 34 with a striker on the automobile body are shown in detail in the copending application of Stanley D. Cockburn et al., entitled Rotary Gear Bolt Door Latch, filed November 16, 1953, as Serial No. 392,266, and in the copending application of Stanley D. Cockburn et al. entitled Door Latch Safety Interlock, filed December 30, 1954, as Serial No. 478,766. Fig. 2 shows how the bolt 28 and bolt housing 34 project out of the jamb face 27 of the door through an opening 35. The plastic bag 20 is cut away around the bolt and bolt housing to permit proper operation of the latch.

A deteht. 6 s Pivotally r sen ed 9 he. frame bedy 24 at 37 and has a foot 38 adapted to engage the cam oo t det nt s p voted in a o kw se d rection s the parts appearin Fig. 5 to move the foot 38'out of blocking relation with the bolt, thusv permitting free rotation of the bolt. f 1

la k e cr nk erell. is n r l y m u t d o a stud 42 on h rame a e 26 one a a 'fthee1l.

ank h v n a gu de stud lai oie ti e t etrcm; and an intermittent or release link 46. is slidably mounted on the stud 44. The stud extends through an elongated ehe nal s ot 4.6 n the. li k' ud o ar-A8 holds he hk nth 's d Ad-iac nt tsow r en the ink- 5: a hou der wadan e toensage a prqi t ns m a; 0 1. e..- e r .s0. h s i ah movement ct h nk. wh n. t parts. are in; 1 DlQ9 p ition as. l rate p vot h e eu out of eng ge t wi h t cam 39. Mountingthe. link 36. loosely on the bell crank eliminates any, possibility. that the link will bind and also min miz r et n n. e oper tion ot t link-1 Out id pe n m a s for slidingth link comprises..- n perat ng lever. S rPiStQt HYm imt 0n. the. fram body 2% by means; ofa stud 54% Projecting from the inner end; of the operating lever is; an integral finger. 56;

whichextends throngh; an opening. 58. ingthelink 46.: The.

opening Sit-is larger than. the. finger 56 to providea loose fit: so hat' he l nk: 46.: may. swing. around the fi g r- 56. when the. lin lg ijs rrroved to its; locked. position, as. will? at r lyeesc i ed.- The outernact the op ating: leverissecured. to. a connecting. rod- 61);which;extendstoa lever 61; on. the; dooras shown. in Fig. 1:. A push but. ton 2 015 c0nventional; construction in a fixed g-rippingt handle onthe. door. isarranged to move the lever.

lqelsias le e is onnec ed b a od 78 and a le er. 7.9 (Fig. 1) to a conventional key locking cylinder device 81. The rod 78 extends through an opening in a wall of the plastic bag 20.

The inside release means for the door latch includes a multi-arm lever 80 pivotedon the flange on a stud 82. One arm 80a of the lever 80 is connected to one end of a s l; ntitle 84. whi h i w rn d around. stud 8.2 and which has itsother and anchored in a tab 86, bent from... the lower edge of the lock frame portion 26.1 This spring biases the lever 80 in a clockwise' direction and, by virtue of a connection between the lever 80and the detent 36,

' releasably holdslthe'detenr iufengagement with the cam 61 upon. depression of the. push, button to raise. the outer? end oi theop'eratingleverSZ; As shown in Fig. 5, .the rod 60, projects through an opening. in they wall of the. plasti c 'bag. 20 in which the. latch is encased. Swinging. movementof the. lever. 52 depresses the'finger 56. and; slides the. link 46. downwardly so that the shoulder 50;. on this, link engages; the. arm 36a. of the. detent and, pivots; the detent out of engagement with the cam 30 to free; the bolt for rotationin. either direction,

In orderv to. lock the door, the link 4.6 is'swung in. a;

30. Another arrn Sillrhas a notch $90 in its end through which the arm 36a of the detent projects. A third arm 80d of the lever 80 terminates in a turned flange Slle which lies adjacent the end of one arm 86a of a bell crank 8 8 pivoted; on the, flange; of: the. frame at 9.0. The

other lm) ssfifljfeihfil bell cra kiiifiqis. connected to. a rod 92 which extends to a conventional inside turn handle.

9.4.on the d oor; (see Fig, 1:).l The rod 92 projects'through gin a wall in the. plastic bag. 2.0. Still another ate mit e hith- 4.6-

Qn ra iem at the lateh will be, described. The latch i e-Y l aqk fiti wrn. outside the automobile by. depress ll pllfih b tt n which pulls; upon rod 60. and

causes link .46; to. slide downwardly so that its shoulder.

qtiQntqdQCkW e direction, swinging thedetent out of engag with the cam...

In qrder to, lock the door from outside, a proper key) i sginsertedin the. key cylinder 82 and. turned. to push down on rod;7&, pivoting. le ver.'7:4v in a counterclockwise direcn on and raising; link 66. Since. the. upper. end of counterclockwise.direction'aboutthe axis formed; by the.-

finger 56; 'When in. this. position,. the; shoulder 505011 the. intermittent link.hypassesg'thev detent. arm 3.6azwhen the; push, button 62 is depressed; In order: to swing.v theint termittent link 46 to. its; locked position, the. bellcrank 40 is pivoted ina counterclockwise. direction asthe-parts. appear in Fig. 3. An arm 40b of the. hell crank 40 is connected by a stud- 64 toapivoted inside lockinglever 65 and also to a link 66 which forms a part ofthe. out: side locking means.

The inside locking lever 65. is connected by a rod 68; to. a conventional garnish. molding push buttonli). (Fig. 1:) which, when depressed-,'pivots the lever. 65 ina clock: wise direction, causing, the. bell :crank 4.0. to pivot in a counterclockwise direction and the. link 4610. swingabout: the axis of finger 56;.to itsglocked position. where. the. shoulder bypasses the; detent arm. 36a. upon. sliding movement ofthe link. Under these conditionsithe out-I side push button 62 merelyfree. wheels, without re-i leasing the. latch. An. oyercentcr. spring.- 72; yield-ably holds, the inside lockingleyer:v 6 5s'in eitheriits; locked.- orunlocked; position. The. rod: 685 extends; through an; opening in a wall of the. plastic. bag-2i As. shown in Fig. 5, the link- 66ipro1'ects"thr ough an. Opening. in the. latchfrarne and; extends. down. to; the.

lower. edgeof the frarnelwhere. it makes pivotal: connect.

link 66 is connected to bell crank 40, this bell crank pivots in; a counterclockwise directionand swings the link 46 to 'itszlqqkfidtp lfiifi ll about the pivotformed by finger 56;

Locking from inside is accomplished by depressing push button, and'rocififiiyto, pivot lever 65, in a clockwise direction. Piy0tin'g.:.bell; crank. lfiand swinging. li k 46. to locked position.

The door latclgtmay. also. be incorporated. in. a water shielding flexible bag and the. bolt, bolt housing, inside. and. outside actuating levers-and locking. lever, as well as the screws which mount the. latch on the door, may all project out of: said" bag through openings in. a. W s-. 1 her of- Before mounting the latch in the door, the latch is; placed, in the flexibljerbag, 20. with the open endv of the bag facing downwardly. The latch is then mounted in the door by means of the screws 25, the bolt28 and bolt housingllil; projecting through the opening 35 in the jamb. face. of the door. The portion of the plastic bag which surrounds; the bolt and bolt housing, may then be cut away; Qonnecting, means which comprise the rods 60, 68 78 an d 92 in the latch illustrated. may then be. pushed through. the. wall of the plastic bag and con need. o he a r r e, eq tin levers of h a Be use. t heeiii srm ex u e o the flexible Pl s ba h eshee hs e ma Pier the. has t a P ee Where h 94s. ell. .2.4. er e a ee it t al i he q sih y sne al 1%.???

M s s t he latches. n h r ew b n i e an efiective water shield especially when large amounts ofwaten enter through the opening 14, as when the car the body portion of the; frame' The. outer. end or the; is washed: or when thereis a hard rain. In the-winter ghe m lt rmlever. terminates in a flange. lies adjacent a project on 9.6 extending from the.

the lock will not freeze and the lubricant for the lock will not be washed away. The open ended bag permits adequate ventilation to prevent moisture condensation and the feature of utilizing a transparent bag permits visual inspection of the latch whenever necessary without removing it from the bag.

Without the water shield 20, it is possible to insert a hooked wire or similar tool down through the opening 14 adjacent the window glass 12 and pick the lock by hooking the wire onto one of the levers 52, 65, 74 or 88. The provision of the plastic bag makes it much more difficult to pick the lock in this manner, and consequently, in addition to acting as an efiective water shield, the bag provides an anti-theft device.

While we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination in an automobile, a door having spaced inner and outer panels with an opening therebetween at the top edge through which a window may move; a window mounted in said door for movement between a lowered position between said panels and a raised position projecting out of said opening; a door latch mounted in said door between the door panels below said opening; and means for shielding said latch from water which enters said opening comprising a flexible bag encompassing the door lock, the lower end of said bag being open and spaced from said door latch.

2. In combination in an automobile, a door having spaced inner and outer panels with an opening therebetween at the top edge through which a window may move; a window mounted in said door for movement between a lowered position between said panels and a raised position projecting out of said opening; a door latch mounted in said door between the door panels below said opening; and means for shielding said latch from water which enters said opening comprising a transparent plastic bag encompassing the door lock, the lower end of said bag being open and spaced from said door latch.

3. In combination in an automobile, a door having spaced inner and outer panels with an opening therebetween at the top edge through which a window may move; a window mounted in said door for movement between a lowered position between said panels and a raised position projecting out of said opening; a door latch between the door panels below said opening; fastening means comprising a plurality of screws mounting said latch on one of said panels; and means for shielding said latch from water which enters said opening comprising a transparent plastic bag encompassing the door lock, the lower end of said bag being open and said fastening means a window mounted in said door for movement between a lowered position between said panels and a raised position projecting out of said opening; a door latch between the door panels below said opening, said latch having a frame with a bolt, inside and outside actuating levers and at least one locking lever mounted thereon; connecting means comprising rods secured to each of said levers; fastening means mounting said latch on one of said panels; and means for shielding said latch from water which enters said opening comprising a transparent plastic bag encompassing the door lock, the lower end of said bag being open and said fastening means, bolt, and connecting means projecting out of said bag through openings in a wall thereof.

5. In combination in an automobile, a door having spaced inner and outer panels with an opening therebetween at the top edge through which a window may move; a window mounted in said door for movement be tween a lowered position between said panels and a raised position projecting out of said opening; a door latch between the door panels below said opening, said latch having a frame with a belt, a bolt housing, inside and outside actuating levers and at least one locking lever mounted thereon; connecting means comprising rods secured to each of said levers; a plurality of screws mounting said latch on one of said panels; and means for shielding said latch from water which enters said opening comprising a flexible bag encompassing the door lock, the lower end of said bag being open and said screws, bolt, bolt housing and connecting means projecting out of said bag through openings in a wall thereof.

6. In combination in an automobile, a door having spaced inner and outer panels with an opening therebetween at the top edge through which a window may move; a window mounted in said door for movement between a lowered position between said panels and a raised position projecting out of said opening; a door latch between the door panels below said opening, said latch having a frame with a bolt, a bolt housing, inside and outside actuating levers and at least one locking lever mounted thereon; connecting means comprising rods secured to each of said levers; operating members secured projecting out of said bag through openings in a wall thereof.

4. In combination in an automobile, a door having spaced inner and outer panels with an opening therebetween at the top edge through which a window may move;

to said connecting means at locations remote from said latch to eifect inside and outside release of said latch and to effect locking thereof; a plurality of screws mounting said latch on one of said panels; and means for shielding said latch from water which enters said opening comprising a transparent plastic bag encompassing the door.

lock, the lower end of said bag being open and said screws, bolt, bolt housing and connecting means projecting out of said bag through openings in a wall thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,556,296 Mitchell Oct. 6, 1925 2,658,376 Shank Nov. 10, 1953 2,707,127 Parsons Apr. 26, 1955 

